Bed-time

Play with Mummy's phone then only oi-oi

I'm glad Jo Ern actually LIKES bedtime. She has her routine starting 10pm - drink 3oz milk, happily show off empty bottle to me and hubby, walk to kitchen sink to plonk empty bottle in, brush teeth and then announce "Oi-oi time!" before climbing the stairs.  Hubby would typically still be watching TV (the man stares at the screen for HOURS!).  Previously I'd take Jo Ern upstairs while he continues with the TV.  Now that Jo Ern talks, she'd go and tell him, "Papa!! Oi-oi time! Papa oi-oi time!!" until hubby actually moves his butt to bed.  Heh.

What she likes isn't actually the sleeping part.  I'd switch the bedside lamp on and the main room light off.  While the bed is bathed in the glow of the lamp, we read her books and do the 6-pc jigsaw puzzle that sit on the bedside table.  She hands her toy octopus over to hubby and her toy dog to me.  If hubby tries to nap the dog instead, she would cry.  She takes back both animals when she wants to sleep.  Sometimes she grabs my phone to play with and then it might be a short battle getting it away from her.  My policy is to hold off giving her gadgets as long as possible, seeing the affinity she has to phones/ipad/computer!

Eventually we turn the light off.  Sometimes it's another battle as she wants to play some more.  But this won't be long and soon she goes quiet.  She sleeps through the night, this one.  :)